Give a little of your time

It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags! … Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!

— Dr Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

It doesn’t take much to be reminded that we really are very fortunate to live in Australia, a country that is largely safe, and with a reasonable social safety net.

So, because it is Christmas, and if you’re able to help out those less fortunate than ourselves, here are some charities that distribute warm clothing, toys, softies, blankets, beanies and more to the needy. Most organisations list their affiliations and who they distribute the finished goods to. In the main you can expect items to find their way to crisis accommodation, emergency relief, Aboriginal women’s refuges, women’s refuges, homelessness services, refugee and asylum-seeker organisations, RSPCA, the Red Cross and so on.

Do keep your eye out on Ravelry forums too; recently there was a call-out from Liz, who works with refugees and internally displaced people in the Kurdistan province in Northern Iraq, for winter gear. There, temperatures plunge to below zero, and shelter is only very basic, so the mortality rate is expected to be high. You can follow the link here (you may need to sign up to the Australian Knitters group first). And do read all the way to the end; the response to Liz’s callout will reaffirm your faith in the good in people.

Here are some charities that collect and distribute. We are not affiliated with any of them, nor is the list an endorsement of their activities.